1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to temperature sensors and temperature sensing methods, and in particular relates to temperature sensors and temperature sensing methods having variable sensitivity for various temperature ranges.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electronic temperature sensor, usually integrated with electronic components in a semiconductor chip, is a device for measuring the temperature of electronic components or the surrounding environment of electronic components.
In an application, a temperature sensor integrated with a CPU can provide temperature information for the CPU. With the temperature information, the CPU can determine whether to reduce operation speed or enter a sleeping mode to protect itself from overheating. In another application, a panel driving chip has to adjust its temperature-dependent gate voltage to achieve a better display performance. Therefore, a temperature sensor which can provide surrounding environment temperature data is required.
However, the temperature sensor of prior art requires complicated calibration circuitry to maintain its linearity. In addition, the temperature sensor of prior art is merely applicable for a particular temperature range and has a fixed sensitivity.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a new temperature sensor which is applicable for various temperature ranges and has variable sensitivity for different temperature ranges.